


Fifteen Years After

by lifeaftermeteor



Series: Life After Meteor [20]
Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: BROTPs abound, F/M, M/M, Post-Canon, Post-Endless Waltz, Post-Series, Preventers (Gundam Wing)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-29
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2020-05-30 19:13:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 9,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19409629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lifeaftermeteor/pseuds/lifeaftermeteor
Summary: Continuing with established tradition, the pilots, Hilde, and now Relena gather together for the Christmas and New Year holidays. This time, it's Quatre's turn to host.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is part 20 of the [Life After Meteor](https://archiveofourown.org/series/391015) series, which trails the Gundam Pilots (and others) through the years post-war. Welcome comments/feedback. Also I continue to owe an unending debt of gratitude to [tumbledrylemur](http://archiveofourown.org/users/tumbledrylemur/) for the beta reading. This monster of a series is better for all your help - I couldn't do it without you. <3
> 
> A much belated update for the LAM!verse series...the last several months have a been rough for me personally, so I've stepped off the gas a little bit to take care of myself. I'm starting to ramp back up, so more content to follow!

**Winner Family Compound**  
**L4-V05001  
****21 December 210**

Wufei had arrived from Geneva. Quatre had not bothered to send a car; from past precedent, he knew Wufei would have avoided being detected by any driver he sent to the shuttle port. Quatre had instead greeted him at the door to the estate with a warm embrace. 

“How was the trip?” Quatre asked as he stepped aside, letting Wufei enter the large main foyer. 

“Fine. Long,” Wufei replied. 

“I know,” Quatre acknowledged, having taken the route more than once now in economy class. No more chartered shuttles for the Winner Heir, so long as he was on the government dime. Nodding up the stairwell before them, he suggested, “Go do what you need to to feel human again. We’ll have a bite to eat and then—before anyone else arrives—we’ll go to the venue and I’ll show you around.” 

“You allowed to take me behind the scenes after hours?” Wufei asked, sounding amused but also in no small part relieved. 

Quatre could feel the man’s nervousness roll off him in waves. He plastered a reassuring smile on his face as he retreated a few steps. “Of course. I’ve already told the set up crew I would probably be swing by later tonight. It shouldn’t be a problem.” Gesturing toward the stairs, he urged, “Please. I trust you remember where your room is.” 

Wufei laughed at that. “Yes, though you may need to stage a sword fight for me to fully recall.” 

Quatre groaned loudly as Wufei retreated up the stairs and out of sight. Alone once more in the foyer, he took a steadying breath. Keeping a straight face would be more difficult than he had originally expected if Wufei failed at keeping his emotions checked. Quatre only hoped he would not inadvertently reveal the plans for Christmas Eve. 

Glancing up the stairwell, he smiled. Even with Wufei’s nerves there was such a tremendous sense of _rightness_ to it all, a culmination of so many things over the years, so many of them circling around Relena. It made his heart ache at the sweetness of it and, brushing at a stray tear that betrayed him, he laughed quietly to himself and moved through the house to the dining space. They had precious little time together, him and Wufei, before the others descended—or ascended as the case may have been—and he’d be damned if they didn’t use it to their advantage.


	2. Chapter 2

**Colonial Shuttle Port: Arrivals  
** **L4-V05001  
** **23 December 210**

Heero braced himself and opened his arms wide as Duo launched himself into him, laughing as Heero took the momentum from the leap and spun the two of them around. As he set his partner’s feet back on the ground a moment later, Duo kissed him soundly. 

“How are you?” Duo asked when they parted. “Missed you.” 

“Missed you too. Flights were okay?” 

Duo shrugged. “Long hauls suck. They’re exhausting. I’m glad that’s enough of that for at least another week.” Hooking his arm through Heero’s the two of them made their way to the exit. 

The terminal was crowded with other holiday travelers, similar reunions popping up sporadically around them as they wove a path through the terminal. Duo’s arrival marked the last of their band of miscreants, coming on the tail end of work travel. The dark circles under his eyes told Heero he hadn’t slept much on the way up. Duo never did seem to be able to lower his guard when someone else was behind the controls of anything he was flying in. 

“I assume you’ll just want to get to Quatre’s place,” Heero said and let the suggestion hang in the air between them as they walked towards the lift. 

Duo opened his mouth to respond, as if on autopilot, but hesitated at the last moment. Snapping his mouth shut again, he eyed Heero with curiosity. “Is there an alternative?” he asked as they entered the elevator. Heero answered by hitting the button that would take them up to the short-term garage, rather than the colony’s circulator. Duo watched this with sharp eyes and then said, his lips sliding into a playful grin, “Well now I’m just intrigued. What are you up to?” 

As the doors _pinged_ and slid open again, Heero cast a wink at his partner before stepping into the garage. Duo followed closely behind in visibly mounting confusion as Heero led them to the center of the lane between two rows of cars and with exact movements hit the remote engine start button on the key fob. 

Directly behind Duo, the car roared to life, startling him and causing him to spin on his heel at the sound. Heero smirked behind Duo’s turned back. The blue convertible was certainly not the most ostentatious of Quatre’s collection, but it was the fastest—Heero had double-checked with him before leaving the compound. When Duo turned back to face him, Heero asked, “Care for a joyride?” 

Duo’s eyes flashed and he grinned. “Uhhh…yes?” he drawled as he turned back around and walked over to the car. He ran his fingertips lightly over the body as he studied it and all its aerodynamic curves while Heero moved to the driver’s side and dropped into his seat. “I can’t believe Quatre let you leave with this,” Duo said. After a beat, he opened the door and dropped into the leather seat, his eyes wide as he took in the interior with obvious approval. Turning to Heero, Duo asked, “Think he’d be willing to ship it to us?” 

Heero laughed as he put the car in gear and pulled out of the parking space. “Ah, no,” he said, voice flat, “but he did tell us that we could help ourselves to whatever was in the garage while we’re here. I just happen to be the first one to have taken him up on the offer.” 

“Am I the last one to get here? How late am I?” Duo asked as they pulled out into the false sunlight of the colonial day. He stretched his arms overhead, feeling the wind strike his hands as Heero navigated them through the shuttle port traffic and out onto one of L4’s highways. 

“Wufei beat us all here,” Heero told him. “The rest of us arrived sporadically yesterday. You’re not late. Your fear of missing out is unwarranted.” 

Duo snorted and dropped his hands back down into his lap. From the corner of his eye, Heero watched the other man study the world around—and above—them. “I can’t remember the last time I was on an L4 island,” Duo said after a time. 

“Years,” Heero answered for himself. “Years and years. Relena was stationed here last time I came out this way.” 

Duo nodded. “It may be longer for me. Maybe even fifteen years.” He looked away, his attention drawn to the man-made river, the green spaces, and the towering, glittering skyscrapers that loomed up around them. “Probably shouldn’t’ve let that much time pass. Seems unfair to Quatre.” 

Heero had considered that too, as it happened. When he had arrived the day prior, he had been left alone with his thoughts as he made his way to the Winner family compound that would serve as their home away from home for the coming week. It had dawned on him that over the years Quatre would arrive at their doorsteps, wherever that happened to be at the time, with warm smiles and easy conversations that belied the time spent so far apart. But it was rare that any of them would return the gesture on Quatre’s home turf...and for him and Duo both, apparently worse than rare. Heero wondered if Quatre had arranged to host this year’s reunion to force them to come to him once and for all, subconsciously or otherwise. 

“Yeah...maybe we can do something about that,” Heero said. “Going forward, I mean.” 

He chanced a sidelong glance at his partner and found Duo smiling. “I think that’d be good. But for now...” Duo murmured, tipping his head back against the seat and closing his eyes, _“drive.”_


	3. Christmas Eve: ACT I

**Colonial Conference Center  
** **L4-V05001  
** **24 December 210**

They pulled into the event parking lot, dressed to the nines. True to her word nearly five years ago, Hilde had made ample use of the funds she had won off of the other members of their group who had proven unable to keep up with her poker skills. [1] She sat now in the back seat of the blue sports car Heero had borrowed off of Quatre upon arrival, the canopy secured closed. Black heels dangling from her fingertips, Hilde watched the world pass by outside and straightened invisible creases in her dress. 

Earlier at the Winner house, the group had had assembled at the foot of the large staircase and her earlier trepidation at wearing such formal attire vanished at the sight of the rest of them. The men looked classically fashionable in their tuxes, but Relena herself had opted for color, her floor-length dress all intricate glittering embroidery and gauzy layers. 

Hilde had turned to Quatre who was beaming at the group and had observed, “Damn, we clean up good.” 

Quatre had laughed and nodded emphatically, poking her bare shoulder, “Yourself included. I’m glad to see your winnings went to a good cause.” 

“I’ll never wear it again,” she had admitted, glancing down at herself. She was confident the black sheath dress, with its lace and open back, would never see the light of day after tonight. It was not exactly salvage and scrapyard attire. 

Perhaps sensing her discomfort, Quatre had pulled her close, an embrace she had readily accepted. “We’ll just have to find another excuse to pull it out then,” he had told her. 

Now as Heero parked the car in the designated event lot, Hilde sincerely hoped there would be another opportunity. Once Heero had disengaged the engine, the three of them—Heero, Duo, and Hilde—climbed out of the car. Only now did Hilde put her heels on, bracing a hand against her open car door. Meanwhile, Duo and Heero moved around to the front of the car and leaned back against the hood. Shoes secured to her feet, she shut her own door and strode to join her friends, the stilettos striking the asphalt with smart clicks. 

Beside them, Trowa cut the engine to his own vehicle—a sleek black machine—from which the rest of the group spilled forth. “Thanks for the VIP parking,” Hilde said as Quatre appeared out of the passenger side of the second car. “I was a bit worried about how far I was going to have to walk in these.” She tutted her spiked heel on the asphalt underfoot for emphasis. 

“It’s just ‘guest’ parking,” Quatre corrected her. “If they’d given me VIP spots, there wouldn’t _be_ a walk to the venue.” 

Duo glanced over at her with a wide grin and assured, “Don’t worry, Hil. Trowa would be happy to carry you if need be.” 

“Oh, hey—” Trowa protested weakly as he shrugged into his black jacket, but he winked at Hilde all the same which made her smile. He then asked Quatre, “What’s the plan?” as he adjusted his cuffs. 

“Right…” Quatre began as the others gathered closer together. “The main entrance will have press. They will _not_ be allowed inside, but all attendees going that way will be photographed. Anyone looking to arrive incognito should use the staff entrance.” 

“Any reason we _can’t_ use the main entrance?” Hilde asked. She bit her lip, preparing herself for disappointment. She had hoped for just a moment to feel like she belonged among these fashionable, important people. 

Quatre shook his head, reassuring her. “You’re all cleared with security and you all have your invitations. So you won’t be stopped at the door. I just thought…” As he trailed off, he seemed suddenly uncertain. 

Heero, Trowa, and Wufei exchanged glances and nearly in unison said, “Staff entrance.” 

“You guys...” Hilde chastised. “Come on!” 

Nearby, Duo chuckled. “I’ll escort you in, Hil.” 

“Really?” she asked, brightening. 

“Really?” Heero echoed, the word taking on some heavy, unspoken caution. 

“Yes, really,” Duo assured them both. “I even followed protocol. Our Public Affairs chief knows I’m here and attending. His only request was that I not trip on the stairs on my way in.” 

“I also followed protocol, which I think means I don’t get a choice,” Relena said, sobering the group a bit. 

“No, unfortunately,” Quatre acknowledged, then shifted gears. “But I did ensure that you would be seated with us. I may have...manipulated the table assignments. The representative approved it though, so I’m absolved of any undue influence on that front.” 

“Quatre…” Wufei intoned, “I don’t think that’s how that works…” 

Quatre dismissed the other man’s concern with a flippant wave of his hand. “Alright, so—Heero, Trowa, and Wufei will take the staff entrance; Duo, Hilde, Relena, and I will go to the main entrance. We’ll reconvene in the main hall. We’re at Table 12.” 

Mission parameters set, Duo pushed away from the car and straightened his suit before offering his arm to Hilde, who took it with much dramatic flare. To the group, he asked, “Shall we?” 

***** 

“For instance,” Trowa continued as they wrapped up their dinner, “did you hear about the geologist who cheated on his wife?” 

“No, I didn’t,” Duo replied sounding scandalized even as he wore the devilish grin. 

“Yeah, I was really surprised,” Trowa told him. “I had always thought he was a _gneiss_ guy.” 

“Well, to be fair,” Duo answered, his tone conversational. “I had heard she was _playing_ the _field_ too, so it’s not entirely his _fault_.” 

Quatre groaned. “Please don’t encourage him…” he pleaded. Beside him Hilde was gradually losing her composure, stifling wheezing laughter with a hand over her mouth. Wufei rolled his eyes, but couldn’t fight the smirk that crossed his face. 

To Duo, Trowa replied as he fought a smile of his own. “I mean, I thought they’d be together forever; but sometimes _schist_ happens,” tossing a wink in Heero’s direction. 

“Proof that you can’t take anything for _granite_.” 

_“God dammit,”_ Quatre cursed in frustration amid peals of laughter from his friends. 

***** 

_“One, two, three and four, the devil's knocking at your door—”_

Wufei whipped around in his seat at the sound of Colonial Mandarin spilling from the sound system. Eyes wide, he watched the frontwoman out of L2 work the crowd on the dance floor below as she dropped lyrics encouraging the onward fight against oppressive systems. It was true to L2 fashion, he knew, but the fluidity of her transition out of starside Spanish and into his mother tongue had been jarring. He hadn’t heard that in… 

_Years_ , he realized and felt his cheeks ache from how hard he was grinning. From the corner of his eye, he watched Duo lean over to Relena and offer a translation as the song progressed. 

_“—Tell them it's good, tell them okay. But **we’re** not gonna do a Goddamn thing they say!” _[3] 

At this, Wufei laughed and clapped his hands. “That is excellent,” he commented to no one in particular, still grinning. 

***** 

“I’m going to go wander,” Trowa said to Quatre, pulling the man’s attention briefly away from his conversation with Hilde. There was a flash of concern in those gemstone eyes and so Trowa reached out to squeeze his shoulder. “I’ll report back with any good intel,” he said with a wink and he could feel Quatre breathe a sigh of relief under his touch. Trowa let his hand linger a moment longer before withdrawing fully, his fingers tingling. 

He slipped his hand into his pocket as he moved away. Throwing back the last of his drink, he deposited the empty glass with one of the waitstaff and picked up another as he passed. He meandered on the fringes of the dance floor, weaving in and out of earshot of revelers’ conversations. 

“The trade imbalance seems to be right-sizing—” 

“Who did your gown? It’s stunning—” 

“I’m glad the Representative is doing this charity event. I think we can do a lot of good—” 

“Man, are they in love or what?” 

Trowa hesitated in spite of himself at the last and drew up into the shadows to study the speaker from a safe distance. The woman was watching the dance floor, prodding her friend on the arm, trying to get her attention which was given at last, reluctantly. “Who?” the second woman asked. 

The first nodded toward the dance floor. “Those two. The guy with the hair and his partner.” 

Trowa followed her gaze and was mildly surprised to find Duo and Heero caught in some stranger’s sights. They moved to the band’s beat alongside the multitude of strangers around them. Both of them having long since lost their jackets and ties, and Duo had at some point rolled up his shirt sleeves. Trowa studied them for a time alongside the two unknown witnesses, trying to see what the first woman had seen. 

The second woman seemed to be in much the same situation. “The guy with the hair looks familiar,” she said, “but I can’t place him. Why do you think they’re in love? They may just be dancing.” 

Her companion shook her head. “No,” she insisted. “See how they change who leads? Back and forth? It’s almost effortless.” 

The three of them watched from the sidelines as Heero spun Duo out and away before pulling him back in close...and the shift happened. One would retreat from the other’s advance only for moments later the same to happen in reverse. 

“See! See, that’s what I’m talking about,” the first woman said, prodding her friend’s shoulder. 

Trowa smirked to himself and, with one parting glance at his friends, moved on. 

***** 

Relena re-entered the dance hall to raucous cacophony and revelry and couldn’t help the thought that she had missed something. The band on-stage had driven the dancers into a fervor that, from the sidelines, looked as intimidating as it was invigorating. She sought out their table on the outskirts, which was still safely out of the melee, but found it mostly empty. She hesitated by the wall and scanned the sea of dancers, searching for familiar faces. 

It was then that she noticed the lines and lines of shoes and she realized that each of the dancers she could see before her were barefoot. Glancing up at the stage, she realized the front woman was as well. She smiled. 

“What kind of people dance barefoot?” asked a nearby gray-haired man of no one in particular. 

It was then that Relena spotted Wufei and Duo, who had emerged out onto the fringes of the crowd, both of them laughing and heaving deep breaths. Her eyes met theirs across the distance that separated them and Wufei cocked his head toward the stage. An invitation. It was all the prompting she needed. “The best kinds of people,” Relena replied to the older man as she gracefully stepped out of her heels and moved toward the throng, leaving her shoes sitting side-by-side where she had stood moments before. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] A reminder to readers: Hilde is an astute poker player and often cleans house. Last reunion, [she pulverized Quatre and Wufei](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10101275/chapters/22502606).
> 
> [2] As a daughter to a geologist, I had to. Sorry not sorry. This one is for [fallingivy](https://fallingivy.tumblr.com/) and [tumbledrylemur](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tumbledrylemur)
> 
> [3] Lyrics (slightly modified) from [“Heaven Knows” by The Pretty Reckless](https://youtu.be/xeUrkcPuNZY), which is most definitely the kind of music being played at this event, albeit with some artistic license applied. For instance, the band is from L2 and their set is loaded down with ‘fuck the system’ vibes. And in true LAM!verse fashion, each verse is sung in a different language. The first is in English and the second in Colonial Spanish before she hits the first chorus. The third verse is in Colonial Mandarin (as shown in this snippet). The front woman then closes out the song in L4’s own Arabic dialect.


	4. Christmas Eve: ACT II

**Colonial Conference Center  
** **L4-V05001  
** **24 December 210**

Duo’s ears pricked up at the familiar lyrics from the band’s frontwoman, startled by their delivery. They were much slower than their radio edit. Much, much slower [1] he determined, as he turned in his chair to face the stage over the sea of dancers. 

He discovered the singer’s gaze transfixed in one direction. Following it down into the crowd, he found Wufei and Relena swaying slowly together amidst the rest of the couples on the dance floor. He felt like a voyeur, watching them pressed so close, as if he was witnessing some intimate turn of events. Something had changed, shifted to the left of hitherto established norms, but he couldn’t place it. It turned his stomach into knots, though he didn’t know why. 

He studied that oddly bitter feeling for a moment longer before he felt a sharp kick to his leg under the table. Startled, Duo turned to face the culprit. He found Quatre watching him with one of his empathic smiles, one of the ones that told you he knew where you were, even if you yourself did not. Duo gave him what he hoped was a reassuring grin trying to allay any concerns. 

Taking one parting glance at Wufei and Relena, he turned fully back to their table and said, “I think we need to start a pool.” 

“Oh?” Hilde intoned, cupping her chin in her hand and leaning forward over the table. “On?” 

“Marriage proposals,” Duo suggested with a wide grin and watched the group’s eyes go over his head to their friends in the distance. “Tonight or not tonight, and in either case when?” 

“I’m in,” Hilde declared without hesitation. “Tonight for ‘it already happened and we didn’t know it.’” 

Duo chuckled. “Okay. Trowa?” 

The man considered his options silently, taking a drink from his glass before answering, “This trip, but not tonight.” 

“Quat?” 

“No comment.” 

“Can I change my answer?” Trowa immediately asked, prompting laughter from their assembled friends. He grinned at Duo and waved off his own question, allowing him to move on. 

“Heero?” 

Heero took longer to decide, studying the couple from afar. Duo waited patiently, watching his partner ruminate on the question. There was something soft in Heero’s eyes, a deep contentment that he couldn’t recall seeing in a larger group; usually it was reserved for when they were alone together. The sight of it on public display made Duo smile even if it wasn’t reserved for him. 

At last, Heero replied, “Tonight. Soon.” 

“Just ‘soon?’” 

“Yes,” Heero confirmed. “Unless you’d prefer I change it to ‘in the immediate offing.’”

Duo’s smile widened, becoming playful once more. “Nah, ‘soon’ is fine.” Shifting to glance over his shoulder once more, he conceded, “I guess I’ll take ‘after this trip’ as the control case. But I have a feeling I’m going to owe someone money.” 

***** 

“Let’s get out of here for a bit,” Wufei murmured against her ear as the last chords of the song faded. 

Relena smiled and put a respectable distance between them again. “Together or separate?” She had grown increasingly aware of their time together and while she was reluctant to leave his side she was beginning to think the time was coming. 

She was therefore pleasantly surprised when he said, “Together.” He offered his hand, which she took without hesitation, and guided her off the crowded dance floor. 

They moved through the shadows on outskirts, brushing past other couples and conversations. No one stopped them and she felt delightfully unseen. Relena fought a giddy smile and squeezed his hand. He returned the gesture and she felt butterflies flutter in her stomach. 

Wufei guided them past the tables that lined the edges of the dance floor, and Relena saw Trowa and Hilde engaged in some deep conversation at their table. Quatre glanced their direction, catching sight of Wufei half a step ahead of her. A hint of a smile graced his lips but before Relena could meet his gaze, he turned away and back to the conversation at the table. 

They exited the dance hall, shifting to walk side-by-side and moved swiftly through the reception space. At the far corner, they approached a door marked ‘staff only.’ With her free hand, Relena reached across to touch his arm. “We aren’t supposed to…” she warned. 

“What are they going to do?” Wufei asked with a roguish grin. “Kick us out? Kick _you_ out? I think we’ll be okay.” 

They shared twin conspiratorial grins and pushed through the door. Wufei then led her off to the left through another—unmarked this time—set of double doors. They led out onto an open-air passageway, lined with ornamental arches and delicate tilework. Off to the right was an expansive balcony which overlooked the courtyard below and the city beyond. Drawn to the sight, Relena drifted toward it, pulling Wufei with her without protest. 

Reaching the stone railing, Relena finally released Wufei’s hand and leaned heavily against the barrier. The tile beneath her feet was cool and smooth. 

Her feet. 

Relena laughed with the sudden epiphany. “I just realized we walked through the reception hall barefoot. My heels are still somewhere in the dance hall.” 

Wufei chuckled and rested his hands on the stone railing beside her. “Probably less noticeable for you than me,” he told her. “I’m not wearing a floor-length dress.” 

“I think we snuck by fast enough that no one noticed,” she assured. 

“I think there are enough patrons doing the same thing that it doesn’t matter at this point,” he countered. 

“Also true,” Relena conceded. Turning to stare out over the city, she mused, “It’s beautiful. It’s odd that they would have blocked this space off.” Glancing up at Wufei she caught him studying her rather than the skyline. Again with the butterflies in her belly. “What is it?” she asked. 

Then he did avert his eyes. “Can I ask you a question?” 

“Of course,” she replied, straightening. 

“How would you like to spend the New Year?” 

“With you.” 

He laughed, as if he was incredulous at her prompt response. “Well, that certainly makes my next question easier.” 

“Oh? How so?” 

Sobering somewhat, he took her hand in his, his thumb caressing the back of her fingers. “I don’t have anything more to offer but myself. Even so, I want to be there for you, to love you, to make you happy.” Reaching into his back pocket, he withdrew a small box. A ring box. “Relena, will you—” 

“Yes!” Then, when faced with his startled expression, Relena flushed and sputtered, “I’m sorry. That—that was preemptive. Please—please ask—” 

“Will you marry me?” Wufei asked, grinning. 

“Yes, yes, a thousand times yes,” Relena told him, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him into a desperate kiss. 

He returned the embrace, holding her close. When they parted, giddy and breathless and laughing, he teased, “Can I give you your ring now?” 

***** 

Duo glanced up at Wufei, who appeared not from the dance floor but the reception hall. Curious, he asked, “Where’s Relena?” 

Wufei smiled as he dropped into his seat. “She, ah—went to go find her shoes. She left them somewhere along the wall.” 

No sooner had the explanation been relayed than Relena herself appeared from the opposite direction, carrying a pair of heels by their four-inch spikes in her fist. “Anyone sitting here?” she asked touching the seat next to Wufei with her left hand—rather deliberately, it seemed to Duo. 

“You are,” Quatre promptly replied. 

Relena smiled and took a seat, dropping her shoes somewhere underneath the table. Leaning forward, she propped her chin on her left hand—again, deliberately—as she and Wufei reentered the group’s conversation. 

It was then that Duo noticed the ring. [2] Tilting his head, he squinted at it in the dim light. The stone would catch the lights from the stage, making it spark as Relena moved. He was almost positive it wasn’t there when they had all arrived earlier in the evening. 

Raising his eyes, he caught Relena watching him and his reaction. There was laughter in those blue eyes and yet her face was nearly unreadable...save for the hint of a smile at the corners of her lips. Duo then turned to Wufei, who—he was surprised to find—was watching him with a very similar expression. 

Duo’s eyes went wide, connecting the dots and he turned left and right to each person at the table, who had continued uninterrupted with the conversation. “Wait, stop!” he finally decreed, spreading his hands before him to bring a halt to the discussion. “Please, _please_ tell me that I’m _not_ the only one that noticed the fucking _rock_ on her hand.” 

The shocked silence was followed by several sets of eyes turning to Wufei and Relena—who could now no longer hide their excitement. Raising her chin, Relena wiggled her fingers to draw their attention to the ring she now sported proudly. 

Hilde was the first to recover. _“Oh my God!”_ she cried. She bolted out of her chair, around the table, and nearly tackled Relena as she threw her arms around her. The two embraced laughing, giddy, until at last Hilde withdrew, saying, “Oh but you’re only half the equation,” and then promptly repeated the action with Wufei. 

“I take it those contingency plans were unnecessary,” Quatre mused, his eyes on Wufei who nodded sheepishly as Hilde retreated back to her seat giggling. 

“Pay up, Barton,” Heero said, reaching behind Duo to poke Trowa’s shoulder insistently. The man sighed and with apparently great effort, reached for his wallet. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Mood inspired by [“Blood” by ARCHIS](https://youtu.be/UjBlx7lCc6o)
> 
> [2] With limited Google searching, it seems Germans wear their engagement rings on their left hand and wedding rings on their right. As a reminder, LAM!verse Sanc Kingdom speaks a German dialect and is culturally similar in a number of ways; this being one.


	5. Chapter 5

**Winner Family Compound  
** **L4-V05001  
** **25 December 210**

“I always wondered what this holiday was like up on L4,” Duo confided from where he sat curled on the sofa nursing a cup of coffee. “I know there’s the whole Peace Accords and Remembrance Day thing and whatever, but in most places it’s all, ‘Hey, Happy Christmas,’ and L4’s up here like, ‘Eh...we’re Muslim. Mostly.’” 

“Or Daoist…” Quatre reminded him. The cluster had been home to thousands of the otherwise orphaned L5 diaspora since AC 206. 

“That’s fair,” Duo acknowledged. “But I really can’t help but wonder if you all see all the damn Christmas Trees all over the ESUN and think, ‘Yeah, Jesus was great and all. But we upgraded. Get with the program.’” 

Beside him, Trowa started to laugh. Quatre could only sigh. “Why must you always tempt us with borderline blasphemy everywhere you go?” 

Duo shot him a wide, devilish grin. With a wink, he told him, “You know me too well to ask me that.”  
  



	6. Chapter 6

**Winner Family Compound  
** **L4-V05001  
** **25 December 210**

“Happy Christmas!” Relena said, nearly bursting at the seams trying to avoid saying the first thing on her mind. Nearly lunch time, she had been dying to call Lucrezia Noin where she was enjoying the holiday in Switzerland. [1] 

“Happy Christmas to you too,” Noin replied, laughing. “I take it you made it up to L4 without incident. How is everyone?” 

“Everyone is well. We all came in before the holiday, spent last night crashing a very fancy benefit party the L4 Representative’s Office held.” 

“I saw,” said the woman on the other end, referencing the press reports. “You and Quatre looked right at home, judging from the photos. Duo Maxwell looks disturbingly put-together in a tux. Who was the woman he brought with him?” 

Relena smiled. “That was Hilde, one of his—our—friends. And Quatre and I were always partners in crime, so to speak, while I was working here so it was more like falling into a familiar habit than anything. It’s nice to be back in L4 after all this time to see what has stayed the same...what has changed.” She worried her lower lip between her teeth for a moment before pressing on, “Speaking of changes, I have something exciting to tell you.” 

“Oh?” Noin sounded amused, but there was curiosity there. It was enough to reassure Relena that the media had not in fact gotten tipped off by any astute observers at the party. 

“Lucrezia...you’ve been like a sister to me for years. So...I wanted to tell you right away. But I also wanted it to be a sensible hour to do so, given the holiday.” 

“Now I’m intrigued,” Noin told her. “What is it? Tell me!” 

“I’m getting married!” Relena told her, the words bursting out of her in a rush. “Wufei! He—he proposed last night!” She spun about in circles and paced the room, too excited to sit still. 

In her ear, Noin echoed her elation but even to Relena’s ear it seemed stilted and _pro forma_. “That’s...that’s wonderful,” Noin told her. “Congratulations!” 

“Everything alright?” Relena asked the other woman, feeling a seed of doubt grow in her belly. 

“Yes, yes of course. I’m just— _surprised._ Excited, but surprised. Did you know? Tell me all about it.” 

Relena grinned and allowed herself to take Noin at her word. Dropping into a nearby chair at long last, she recounted the events of the evening before. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] L4 operates off of the same time zone as Riyadh (UTC+3), so noon in L4 is 9:00AM for much of Western Europe.


	7. Chapter 7

**Winner Family Compound  
** **L4-V05001  
** **26 December 210**

There was movement around him, but Heero didn’t stir. Whoever had entered the room made no attempt to hide his presence, though there was a hesitance to the shuffling steps all the same. When they reached Heero where he lay wrapped in a blanket on the daybed, the new arrival poked him gently on the shoulder. Heero at last opened his eyes to find Quatre standing over him, looking as if he, too, was suffering from the worst of jetlag. 

“Can I join you?” he asked, sounding pitifully exhausted. 

Heero gave him a reassuring smile and raised his arm. Quatre crawled into the offered space and the two of them settled, curled up against each other on under the blanket. 

Tangled together, Heero felt...safe. He was still recovering from the long trip up to the colony and over-stimulated by the group when not seeing them on his own turf for once. He had therefore fled up to the Compound’s library to decompress and catch up on lost sleep. Clearly he wasn’t the only one who needed it. 

“I know why _I’m_ tired,” Heero murmured, his cheek pressed against the crown of Quatre’s head. “Why are _you_ tired?” 

“Because you’re tired,” Quatre replied with a yawn. “It’s hard to filter you out regardless of where you are, but it’s especially difficult when you’re under my roof.” 

“I’m sorry,” Heero told him. He had not thought of how the reunion would effect Quatre’s gift. He started to consider ways to mitigate the impact, including extracting himself from his current position. 

“Don’t,” Quatre instructed, his arms tightening around Heero’s midsection as if he had read his mind. “Beneath the fatigue and social exhaustion, you’re happy. And that’s all I want. You make me happy too, so I don’t mind.” 

Heero relaxed and settled back against the daybed. After a beat, he shared, “Your Space Heart sometimes freaks me out.” 

Quatre chuckled, “Yeah, well…” 

Heero didn’t hear the rest of the thought; he had already drifted comfortably off to sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**Winner Family Compound  
** **L4-V05001  
** **26 December 210**

“Do you have any idea how many layers went into making that look good?” Relena asked, reflecting on her gown from the gala two days prior with some exasperation. 

“No,” admitted Trowa from where he sat across from her. “But I suspect Wufei found out.” 

Beside her, Relena heard her fiance sputter. Feeling the flush creep up into her own cheeks, she pressed her lips into a thin line but knew she was losing the battle against a wide grin. At last, she gave up. “You know what? Yes. Yes he did. I stumbled straight into that set-up and I’m not even mad. Well done, sir.” She raised her glass to Trowa, who mirrored the gesture from across the table. 

“We should all just appreciate the Winner family’s attention to building good walls,” Trowa suggested. 

“Yeah—sturdy,” Relena acknowledged. 

“And soundproof,” Wufei added, having finally recovered enough to join the fray. At this addition, Duo choked on his water two seats down. 

Hilde gave into the laughter she had been fighting. “Oh God, you guys...you just keep digging yourselves deeper,” she told them with a shoveling pantomime tossed in for good measure. “Pretty soon you’re going to hit level negative two, which is the sex dungeon.” 

At this, the target of their teasing shifted to Quatre who flushed a brilliant shade of red. They didn’t give him time to respond, as true friends were wont to do. 

“Quatre, your lack of vehement denial is disconcerting to say the least.” 

“Barton what do you know?” 

“No comment.” 

“Tell us his kinky, kinky secrets!” 

“I can’t—I signed a non-disclosure agreement.” 

“Astaghfirullah, you heathens…” [1] Quatre shot back to raucous laughter. “You’ll have noticed by now that Heero and Duo have been suspiciously quiet.” 

“Oh no,” Duo cautioned, “don’t you go bringing us into your debauchery.” 

“You’ll be sorely disappointed anyway,” Heero added. 

“You’ve been dating for over five years!” Relena contended. “That’s practically married in this day and age.” 

“No argument on that front, but I need a t-shirt that says, ‘I’m not gay but my boyfriend is,’” Duo replied. [2] 

This struck Relena as an odd thing to say. She apparently wasn’t the only one to think so. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Explain!” 

“Are you going to continue this tradition of dropping bombshells on us every two years?” 

“Calm down,” Duo chided. “I’m just ace—er, asexual. Chill.” 

“Why didn’t you say something?” Relena asked. 

Duo shrugged, seeming suddenly a bit sheepish. “I...didn’t think it mattered.” 

“Of course it matters,” she assured. “It’s part of who you are.” 

But before she could take the conversation into more serious territory, Heero piped up from his seat next to Duo as he slung an arm across the back of his partner’s chair. “I’m just happy you all know now. Means I can finally claim my bragging rights.” 

“‘Bragging rights?’” Duo echoed, his face scrunching in confusion before he turned to face his boyfriend. “What ‘bragging rights?’” 

“Well, now I can lord it over all of them that I’m—officially—the only one here who can claim that he’s dating a Flying Ace from Outer Space.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Astaghfirullah = literally “I seek forgiveness in Allah” but in pop culture slang can be used to judge others for their mistakes / wrongdoing 
> 
> [2] This t-shirt exists. In case there are any readers who would like one. XD


	9. Chapter 9

**Winner Family Compound  
** **L4-V05001  
** **27 December 210**

“These are stunning,” Quatre commended Trowa as he flipped through the man’s photographs. “I can see why the gallery had a hard time picking which ones to show.” 

Trowa tried to ignore the flutter in his belly at the compliment. It shouldn’t have meant as much as it did to hear it, coming from the man sitting across from him. They’d spent the better part of an hour going through his portfolio at Quatre’s insistence and he had regaled the man with tales of his exploits and the stories behind the photographs. Quatre had been enraptured and it had done something to his heart to see it. “Not bad for an amateur,” he said. 

“Not bad for _anyone_ ,” Quatre corrected. He flipped the portfolio around to show a landscape he’d taken in the Balkans. “This is one of my favorites, I think.” He flipped it back around so that he could study it closer once more. “Landscapes are beautiful in their own right but so often they fall short when photographed. They don’t capture the... _life_ , the movement. You did.” Quatre worried his lower lip between his teeth a moment before raising his eyes to meet Trowa’s gaze. “Please tell me I can support your next excursion.” 

This took Trowa aback. Mental gears stripped, he could only manage, “What?” 

“Let me finance you,” Quatre clarified. “Let me pay for _something_ so that you don’t have to scrounge work together to buy train tickets.” 

“Hey, I _like_ doing odd jobs,” Trowa told him, unable to keep the petulance entirely from his voice. Gentler, he added, “It...breaks up the time. Helps me focus.” 

A look crossed Quatre’s face and Trowa was surprised to see it was understanding and acceptance. “If it helps, then fine. But _something_. Lodging maybe?” 

“Quatre, what are you doing?” Trowa pressed, feeling suddenly out of his depth. “You’re a public servant now. You’re hardly in the market for paying my travel costs.” 

“A public servant living off of interest,” Quatre told him, his tone taking on a self-deprecating edge. Then, almost pleading, “Please?” 

Trowa studied the other man even as he studied the odd, pleasant ache in his chest. He allowed himself to embrace the warmth there, the rightness that followed. At last he conceded, “ _One_ location. The last one. And you have to stay within the budget _I_ set. Okay?” 

As he spoke, Quatre’s face brightened and Trowa thought it might have been one of the most beautiful and honest things he had seen in years.


	10. Chapter 10

**Winner Family Compound  
** **L4-V05001  
** **28 December 210**

“Oh that _song!”_

“That song followed me _everywhere!”_

“I had never heard it until I landed, and then it was with me until I left...and _then_ it started hitting the colonial airwaves!” 

“I _hated_ that song.” 

Heero chose this time to enter the ruckus. “And _I_ had a front row seat to Trowa’s hatred for that song,” he shared, earning laughter from the group. 

“Oh, story time!” Hilde chirped. 

“Do tell,” Quatre encouraged. 

“We were in Antarctica, with Noin. We won’t go into specifics as to ‘why,’ but—I remember Noin, Trowa, and I were standing clustered together at one point at the entrance to the mess hall. There were maybe a dozen people in there, but across the room was a radio. And it was turned up loud enough for us to hear. 

“ _That song_ came on,” Heero continued, “and Trowa just... _roared_ with frustration. And with all the strength his scrawny fifteen-year-old body could manage, _launched_ his coffee cup across the room at the radio. And he _nailed_ it! Shrapnel flying everywhere. The radio shorts out and dies. 

“Noin is bewildered because Trowa had until this point been the more mild-mannered, if sarcastic, one. The poor guy closest to the radio is bewildered, looking around as if he had just witnessed divine intervention. And _Trowa_ is bewildered because reason is slowly returning and he has just realized he no longer has his coffee.” 

“I really, _really_ hated that song,” Trowa replied to the peals of laughter around him.


	11. Chapter 11

**Laser Tag and Games Complex  
** **L4-V05001  
** **29 December 210**

Trowa started laughing as the score tallies finalized from their round in the arena. He had led the group on laser rounds fired, a statistic which came as little surprise. What was a surprise was their top scorer, who had solidly blown the rest of them out of the water with numbers that could have only been acquired through multiple base kills in addition to the carnage wrought on the battlefield. 

Slinging an arm across Relena’s shoulders, he commended, “Nice numbers. I’m glad you’re on _my_ team.” Relena laughed. 

“Well now we know who the MVP is,” Duo observed. Turning to Quatre, he suggested, “This may require a change in strategy.” Quatre nodded silently, smirking. 

“Oh! Hey!” Relena protested. “That’s hardly fair!” 

“All’s fair in love and war,” Wufei countered. He then asked Heero, “Rematch?” 

Heero nodded but then caveated, “So long as Duo doesn’t camp out in the crow’s nest taking potshots this time.” 

“Hey man,” Duo argued, grinning roguishly as he followed Hilde and Trowa back toward the armory, “if you can’t take the high ground from _one guy_ , then you’re gettin’ rusty in your old age.”  



	12. Chapter 12

**Winner Family Compound  
** **L4-V05001  
** **30 December 210**

“That’s right! Your ink is done,” Hilde recalled, clasping her hands before her as she turned to Heero. “Can I see, please?” Her eyes were wide and bright and excited. 

Heero glanced around the brightly lit kitchen with clear uncertainty. “Here?” he asked. 

“Well, we could all file into the next room if you’d prefer, but it’s not like it really matters,” Trowa told him from where he was leaning against the counter. “Quat has the whole place wired for closed circuit television anyway, so…” The comment earned him some half-hearted scoffing from their host. 

“The light is better here,” Duo added gently, drawing Heero’s attention to where he sat on the countertop nearby. Heero’s eyes met his own for a brief moment and Duo watched the residual bashfulness slide away. He smiled as Heero at last shrugged, hiked his t-shirt over his head, and turned around. 

Faced with the completed tattoo, the assembled group gasped and exclaimed their admiration. 

“Did it hurt?” Hilde asked after the initial outbursts receded, stepping forward to get a closer look. 

Heero shook his head. “No. It would have, but…” he shrugged again, letting the rest go unspoken. 

“They integrated the scar tissue,” Quatre observed, referencing the cloud of ash and fire from which the phoenix emerged, the burns whorling across Heero’s back giving the sense of movement to the scene. 

“I asked him to,” Heero replied. 

“It’s clever,” Quatre said with tangible approval. “I wouldn’t have thought of that.” 

“It’s beautiful work,” Wufei told him. “The pictures don’t do it justice.” 

When Heero turned back to the group and pulled his shirt back on over his head, there was a faint flush dusting his cheeks. Being the center of attention and of such transparent praise tended to do that, Duo knew. So when Heero neared, he uncrossed his ankles and spread his arms wide. 

Heero fled into the offered space, pressing himself flush against him. The counter gave Duo several inches on his partner, so Heero’s head dropped down against his shoulder. Duo ducked his own head to kiss Heero’s temple while he draped his arms lazily over his shoulders and Heero’s arms came up to encircle his waist. 

The conversation had moved on around them as soon as Heero had retreated from the limelight. But when Duo looked up, he found Relena watching them with a subtle smile. Duo offered one of his own in reply, feeling a warmth blossom in his chest where he could feel Heero breathing against him.


	13. Chapter 13

**Winner Family Compound  
** **L4-V05001  
** **30 December 210**

“Elemental. Two.” 

“Fire.” 

“Yes, definitely.” 

Duo watched from the other team as Hilde put down a red card on her team’s correct guess, covering one of the twenty five options on the space before them. But as she withdrew, a dawning realization seemed to strike her. Duo smirked and thought, _Oops_. 

Her team came to the same conclusion. “But now both water and air are in play,” Quatre observed. 

“Dammit Schbeiker,” Wufei hissed. 

“Yeah, sorry,” Hilde said with a playful wince. 

As the Red Team debated amongst themselves, Duo did a mental review of the rules. [1] With Heero serving as their ‘spymaster,’ he could only say two words: one word which would lead them to the cards on the board that coincided with their agents in the field, and a second word which would tell the Blue Team how many agents were described or otherwise aligned with the first word. The challenge—as their opponents just discovered—was that it was possible for more than one card in play could be associated with the clue given...which could lead to some confusion and at least one missed turn. 

That is, unless they hit the lone ‘assassin’ in play, which would mean game over. Truly high stakes with this crowd. Duo chuckled. 

In the end, they went with water and by the skin of their teeth managed to match two of their agents. Duo scanned the board and felt like the red cards mocked them more than the teasing from their opponents. 

Heero meanwhile studied his options, glancing back and forth between the cards laid out on the table and the key card which only he and Hilde could see. At last looking up at his team, Heero said, “Corners. Four.” 

Duo, Relena, and Trowa leaned forward to study the cards still in play. As Relena and Trowa bounced ideas between them, Duo determined that none of the options were good, and certainly there were not _four_. He let his eyes wander across the cards that were arranged in a five-by-five square— 

_Wait_. 

A square! 

“Hold up, stop,” Duo told his team. Looking up at the top right corner of the arrangement, he read the word on the card there. “Dolphin.” 

“What?” Relena asked, scandalized. 

“Aren’t we supposed to make decisions via committee?” Trowa challenged. 

“Trust me on this,” Duo assured. He reached out and tapped the card as he met Heero’s steady, unreadable gaze. “Dolphin.” 

“That your final answer?” Wufei teased where he sat a few chairs down. 

“Yeah, hit me.” 

“Wrong game.” 

“Shut up.” 

There was a breathless pause as the two teams waited anxiously. Then Duo saw the corner of Heero’s mouth twitch as he struggled to maintain his composure...as he laid down a blue card over Duo’s guess. 

_“What?!”_

“What the—?!” 

“How…?” 

Ignoring the commotion, Duo moved on to the card in the lower right corner. “Sabotage.” Another blue card. Duo started to laugh. 

Beside him, Relena murmured, “Oh, I get it.” Tapping the lower left corner, she read, “Well.” 

Trowa then carried them across the finish line with the upper left card. “Loch Ness,” he said, sounding every bit incredulous as he high-fived Relena while Wufei and Quatre protested. 

Duo leaned back in his chair and took a pull of his beer while Heero smirked triumphantly across from him. To the rest of the group, Duo chided, “Don’t overthink it, babes.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] The game the group is playing is called [Code Names](https://www.amazon.com/Czech-Games-00031CGE-Codenames/dp/B014Q1XX9S), and it is a ton of fun.


	14. Chapter 14

**Winner Family Compound  
** **L4-V05001  
** **1 January 210**

“Hey, come here,” Duo beckoned to Heero, who leveled a suspicious look at him. The chaise lounge was large enough for both of them, but one of Duo’s arms was behind his back and clearly that was enough to set off alarm bells. Duo snorted and added, “Please?” which seemed to do the trick and Heero closed the distance between them and sat down beside him. 

“What’s this about?” Heero asked. 

Duo pulled his arm from behind his back to reveal a package wrapped in brightly colored paper, the edges haphazard and hastily taped into place. He offered it to his partner with some insistence. “I was going to give it to you earlier, for Christmas,” Duo explained as Heero took the package from him, “but there were...uh... _other things_ going on that we were all kinda focused on.” 

“I...didn’t bring you anything,” Heero murmured. 

Duo watched his partner run his thumb over the hastily assembled folds of the wrapping paper, a nervous tick of Heero’s that Duo recognized well. Seeking to dispel any concern, he said, “If it makes you feel any better, I bought it while I was traveling with the boss before coming up starside. It’s not like I’ve been holding onto it forever. But I saw it and...thought of you. So.” He waved at the gift, encouraging, “Go on.” 

With only a final moment’s hesitation, Heero popped the taped paper seams and unwrapped his gift while Duo took a seat on the chaise lounge next to him. Tossing the paper aside, he ran his hands over the soft leather-bound journal, his fingertips sliding over the fine stitching along the spine. An attached leather strap was wound several times around the book and held in place a sleek fountain pen. Heero plucked the pen from its mounting and cradled it between his fingers as he gently unwound the strap to open the journal. On the first page, Duo had scrawled the only message that he thought would carry the weight of all the things he couldn’t put into words: 

_Fill the pages  
_ _— D_

Duo waited with bated breath as he watched Heero study the words, a finger running across the black ink. In profile, there was a softness to his partner that he couldn’t blame on the dim light of their room, an openness that he alone was privileged to see. It made his heart ache. 

Heero then set aside his gift and promptly climbed into Duo’s lap, taking his face in his hands with calloused fingers and kissed him. Duo hummed into the kiss, a low rumble of surprise that came from his chest as the world fell away for a moment. He vaguely registered his own arms coming up behind Heero to brace themselves low on his hips, holding him close and stabilizing them both. Pulling out of the kiss, their lips brushing against each other, Duo teased, “I think he likes it….” Heero didn't answer; he only kissed him again. 


	15. Chapter 15

**Winner Family Compound  
** **L4-V05001  
** **2 January 211**

Quatre looked up from his coffee where he sat on the window ledge with Hilde as Heero strode into the room and made a beeline for the coffee carafe on the nearby counter. “Good morning,” he said brightly and laughed when Heero could only mumble some wordless response while he poured a cup. 

“Where’s Duo?” Relena asked, flipping her phone around to show him the screen. In bold text was displayed, _President Reuson re-elected for second term_. 

Heero took a moment to finish what Quatre assumed was half his coffee before replying. “He’s upstairs. Packing.” 

And just like that, Quatre could feel the end coming. Packing. How horrible. Setting aside his own coffee cup he asked, “Is he decent?” 

Heero smirked. “That’s debatable, but if you mean ‘Is he dressed,’ then yes.” 

Quatre rolled his eyes and moved away from the group, Heero slipping into his vacated seat next to Hilde. Moving through the compound, he took the back steps up to the second floor and then onward to the east wing where Duo and Heero had been rooming together. Reaching the room in question, he knocked briskly. 

“Yeah?” called Duo from behind the closed door. 

Quatre poked his head inside and said, “Hey,” by way of greeting. 

Duo looked up from the open suitcase on the bed and gave him a half-hearted smile. “Hey,” he echoed, waving the other man in. 

“You’re leaving so soon?” 

“Have to report to the office tomorrow. It’s the downside of winning elections.” 

Quatre smiled and stepped fully into the room and crossed to the bed, dropping down next to the suitcase as Duo went about gathering his things. It was like watching a master work, all tight bundles and perfectly portioned and utilized space. It was so unlike the man himself, who always struck Quatre as being better described as ‘structured chaos’ than anything else. Clearly Duo had been traveling as much as he had once been. “I’m glad he won,” Quatre told him. “Certainly beats the alternative.” 

Duo grimaced at the mention of the lone representative who had made a late attempt at unseating the ESUN President. It was too little too late, but Quatre was sure it had led to some sleepless nights among the President’s staff all the same. 

“And you’ll be his Chief of Staff now, correct?” Quatre asked, crossing his legs at the ankles as he leaned back to watch Duo assemble his things. “Is that already official or does that happen when you land?” 

“When I land. Mendoza has it until the new administration technically starts. Which is tomorrow.” Shoving his suitcase out of the way, Duo dropped down onto the bed beside Quatre. He dropped his head and sighed deeply. “Christ, God dammit I really am the Chief of Staff aren’t I? Fuck me…” 

Quatre chuckled and reached up to pat the other man on the back. “You’ll be fine. You’ve been preparing for this for a year. And it’s not like you’re coming into the office cold. These are people you know, people you like.” 

“They liked me just fine as a Special Assistant, but we’ll see about being the Chief,” Duo intoned, sounding skeptical. “I’m going from being a sounding board to the gatekeeper.” 

Quatre knew from personal experience working at WEI that the collaborative sorts had more difficulty with gatekeeping than others. But he also knew Duo was more vicious than most would assume at first blush: disarm with dazzling smiles and a sharp wit and then go in for the kill. Just the kind of person the President needed to keep his agenda above the melee of the ESUN. “Don’t let doubt wear you down,” he told him with great confidence. “You’re a better fit for politics than I think you realize, Duo. 


End file.
